The morning light streamed through the windows, casting long shadows across the walls of Vivian’s room. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the faint marks on the floor where the shards of the mirror had once been. The dust was gone now—swept away by Sebastian in his quiet, deliberate way.

But the weight of last night lingered, a heavy presence that refused to dissipate.

She pressed her hands to her temples, willing the pounding in her head to stop. Sleep had been elusive, slipping through her grasp the moment she closed her eyes. The whispers were gone, but their absence felt just as loud.

A knock at the door startled her.

“Vivian?” Sebastian’s voice carried through the wood, calm but cautious.

“Come in,” she called, her voice hoarse.

The door creaked open, and Sebastian stepped inside, his sharp eyes scanning her face. He was holding a tray with a cup of tea and a plate of toast, though his expression made it clear he didn’t expect her to eat much.

“You look like you haven’t slept,” he said, setting the tray on the small table by the window.

“I didn’t,” Vivian admitted. “It’s… hard to turn my mind off after everything.”

Sebastian sat in the chair across from her, studying her carefully. “The mirror is gone. The shards are gone. You faced it, Vivian. Whatever power it had over you, it’s broken now.”

“I know,” she said softly, though the words felt fragile. “But it doesn’t feel gone, Sebastian. It feels like it’s still… watching me.”

Sebastian frowned, leaning forward. “Watching you how?”

Vivian hesitated, wrapping her arms around herself. “It’s hard to explain. It’s not like the whispers or the reflection. It’s quieter now, but it’s there. Like a shadow in the corner of my mind.”

Sebastian exhaled slowly, his brow furrowing. “Sometimes, the effects of something like this don’t disappear overnight. Trauma leaves scars, Vivian. It could just be your mind trying to process everything you’ve been through.”

“Or,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended, “it could be something else. Something worse.”

Sebastian didn’t argue, though his silence spoke volumes.

Later that day, Vivian found herself wandering the estate grounds, seeking the solace of open space. The air was crisp, the scent of damp earth and pine filling her lungs. The forest loomed ahead, its dark canopy whispering in the wind.

She stopped at the edge, her boots sinking slightly into the soft ground. The forest had always unnerved her, even before the mirror. There was something ancient about it, something that seemed to hold its breath whenever she was near.

But today, it felt different. The unease was sharper, more pointed, as though the forest itself was watching her.

She took a hesitant step forward, her heart pounding.

“Vivian.”

The voice startled her, and she spun around to see Sebastian approaching, his coat flaring slightly in the breeze.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked, his tone careful but laced with concern.

“I needed some air,” she replied, though even to her ears, it sounded like an excuse.

Sebastian glanced at the forest, his expression darkening. “This place… it’s not safe. Not after everything that’s happened.”

“You think the forest is dangerous now?” she asked, half-skeptical.

“I think there are things in this world we don’t fully understand,” he said cryptically. “And after what you’ve been through, it’s better to be cautious.”

Vivian looked back at the trees, their twisted branches forming a canopy that seemed to block out the sun. The whispers of the wind sounded almost like voices, though she couldn’t make out the words.

“Come back to the house,” Sebastian urged, placing a hand on her arm. “You don’t need to face this alone.”

She nodded reluctantly, letting him lead her away. But as they walked back toward the estate, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was calling her, pulling her back toward the forest.

That night, the dreams returned.

Vivian stood in the middle of the forest, the trees towering above her like silent sentinels. The air was thick, suffocating, and the ground beneath her feet felt soft and unstable, as though it could give way at any moment.

Ahead of her, the trees parted to reveal a clearing bathed in pale moonlight. In the center stood a figure—a silhouette she recognized immediately.

It was her reflection.

The figure smiled, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. “Did you think it would be that easy, Vivian?” it asked, its voice echoing unnaturally.

“I destroyed you,” Vivian said, her voice trembling but defiant.

The reflection tilted its head, amusement flickering across its face. “You destroyed the mirror. But I’m not the mirror. I’m you. And you can’t destroy yourself.”

Vivian stepped back, her chest tightening. “You’re lying. You’re just a fragment. A shadow of what the mirror left behind.”

The reflection laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. “If that’s what you need to believe, go ahead. But you’ll see the truth soon enough.”

Before Vivian could respond, the ground beneath her feet shifted, and she began to sink. She struggled to move, but the earth seemed to swallow her, pulling her deeper and deeper.

The last thing she saw was the reflection’s smile, glowing faintly in the darkness.

Vivian woke with a gasp, her heart racing. The room was dark, the faint light of the moon casting eerie patterns across the walls.

She sat up, her body drenched in sweat. The dream had felt so real, so visceral. She could still feel the weight of the earth pulling her down, the suffocating darkness wrapping around her.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she buried her face in her hands, trying to steady her breathing.

But as she lifted her head, she froze.

The vanity mirror was back.

It stood where it had always been, its surface polished and pristine, as though it had never been broken.

And in its reflection, she saw her other self, smiling back at her.

To be continued...